“ROME -- Italy and Spain dispatched navy vessels to protect a flotilla carrying international activists aiming to bring aid to Gaza, amid growing fears that Israel might use force against the boats.
The decision came after passengers said drones of unidentified origin attacked the flotilla off the coast of Greece on Wednesday. They said the drones dropped explosive devices that caused loud booms and bright flashes of light. Some of the boats were damaged but the crews were safe, they said.
Israel's government, which has called on the flotilla to turn back, didn't respond to requests for comment. Israel's Foreign Ministry said it would take "the necessary measures" to stop the vessels from entering the Gaza combat zone.
The flotilla consists of a few dozen ships and contains hundreds of passengers from around the world, including European politicians and Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The ships set off from ports in Italy and Spain in late August, and are aiming to reach Gaza next week, activists say.
Should the flotilla get close to Gaza, it likely would be stopped by Israeli forces that are upholding a naval blockade of the enclave. Italy and Spain said they are sending ships to protect the boats in international waters and, if necessary, rescue its passengers.
Although both countries condemned the attack on Wednesday, Rome and Madrid have different views on the flotilla's aims. Spain's center-left government supports its goal of delivering humanitarian aid and raising awareness of the plight of Gaza. Italy's right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called the activists irresponsible and urged them to stop.
"There is no need to risk one's safety and enter a war theater to deliver aid to Gaza," Meloni said. Italy's government is trying to persuade the activists to drop off the aid in Cyprus. Flotilla organizers said they wouldn't unload elsewhere. "We will continue directly to Gaza to deliver the humanitarian aid, to open up the humanitarian corridor," said Yasemin Acar, a member of the flotilla's steering committee.
Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday said Italian ships would only protect the flotilla in international waters.
Spain said its citizens have the right to navigate the Mediterranean safely, but it hasn't said whether the flotilla should go all the way to Gaza.
Israel's Foreign Ministry has proposed that the flotilla unload its aid at the Israeli port of Ashkelon for it to be transported into Gaza, an offer it said the activists rejected. Late on Wednesday, Israel's Foreign Ministry said on X that the flotilla could unload its aid at "any port in a nearby country outside Israel," from where it could be taken to Gaza.
"We are sailing peacefully in international waters, we are not carrying weapons, we are carrying food, baby formula, medical supplies and water, and we are sailing to break Israel's illegal and inhumane siege," Thunberg said.” [1]
1. World News: Italy and Spain Send Ships To Guard Gaza Aid Flotilla. Stancati, Margherita; Solomon, Feliz. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 26 Sep 2025: A6.
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